Safety razor and blade therefor



- Jan. 17, 1939- A l G. c. AREY 2,144,041

SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE THEREFOR Filed Dec. 28. 1935 Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to razors, and is particularly directed to improvements in safetyV razors of the type employing a wafer-like blade clamped between holding elements. More speciilcally the improvements` relate both to the holder and to the blade.

There are a great many wafer type blades and holders therefor on the market today. Itis a known fact that users are extremely dissatisiied with this type of blade because it does not remain sharp any length of time. This is evidenced by the fact that they are continually changing from the blade of one manufacturer to the blade of another, and are ready to try newly marketed blades the moment they are placed on the market. l

It frequently occurs that a blade ofthis type is uniit for further use after the rst or second shaving. It is fundamentally impossible to make a wafer blade which will last any length of time. The thinness of the metal itself precludes durability. This condition cannot be remedied for the reason that the blades must be of thin stock in order to be iiexible and to sell at the extremely low prices at which they are sold.

The blades have been furnished4 with two sharpened edges, and the holders therefor secure the blades in position exposing both edges So that the user is ableto shave with either edge during a given shaving operation. Both edges being available, it is obvious that they are both used at a given shaving operation, and both are dulled approximately the same amount. Following the first shaving operation the blade is placed in the holder indiscriminatelya that is, it may go in the same way as the first time, or it may be placed in position with its faces reversed, or it may be reversed end for end, or both. Thus there are These blades are flexed when held inthe holder so that the edges are turned in the direction of movment in use. Accordingly, ii turned over, the nexing is reversed and the cutting isbetter since the cutting pressures tendl to push backany turned metal atthe edge (microscopically speaking) .A Even if the blade is turned over properly after the iirst shave, only two good shaves can be procured.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a holder and blade combination wherein the user is able to discriminate as to the position in which he places the blade, that is, in which means is incorporated informing him as to those positions in which the blade has been used and enabling him to procure a new edge as many as four times.

More speciiically, it is an object of the invention to provide that the blade is automatically marked to indicate use at aV given position without any attention whatsoever on the part of the user.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved blade, which blade is formed so that it can be operated upon by the holder with the purpose of identifying any used position.

It is a still further object to provide an improved blade and holder, wherein only one vedge of a double edged blade is exposed at a time,

and whereby it is possible to use the exposed edge anteeing the purchaser of the blade at least four` good shaves, each used positionl being automatically identiiied.`

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a holder for a doubled edged blade which ilexes only one side portion at a given time or vposition of the blade in the holder.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved blade of this type in. which the various positions in which the blade has been used are identied, and which may incorporate the manufacturer's trade-mark as a part of the means for used position identiiication.

vOther objects and further advantages will be more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a general v iew of the improved holder and razor blade. showing the parts fully assembled for a shave, and a portion thereof in sectioni'or illustrating the blade marking device.

Figure 2A is a transverse sectional view of the holder elements'oi.I the improved holder with the blade interposed therebetween, this view showing the parts prior to marking of the blade for identifying the used position.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the top holder element, showing the blade punching member.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the improved blade.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lower holder element, showing the recess cooperating with Vthe punching member.

Figure 6 is a. fragmentary enlargedl sectionaly Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the blade punched out and the position iaenanec.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a slightly modiiled .n

blade oi.' this invention, showing the portions to be punched out formed by the letter G, showing a means whereby a manufacturer can identify his blades.

Figure is a view taken similar to Fig. 6, but showing a passage through one holder element through which the punching can pass clear of the holder.

Referring to the drawing, itwill be noted that in the present embodiment of the invention the holder shown comprises three parts. Holder or clamping elements I5 and i6 are provided, these elements being forced together for clamping the blade Il therebetween by means of a screwthreaded handle element i8. vThe general arrangement of the holder elements with the handle cooperating with a screw-threaded stud on one holder element for forcing the holder elements together on the blade is well known.

'Ihe lower holder element l5 includes the screwthreaded stud i9 disposed centrally thereof and a longitudinal rib 20 extending toward each end of the element from the central stud, but stopping short of the ends thereof. The stud and rib locate the blade on the holder element when the blade is placed on the lower holder element as shown in Figure 2. For this reason the blade includes a slot 2i disposed longitudinally thereof having a circular central portion, the slot thus formed being complementary to the rib and stud of the holder element i5 so as to fit thereover. Any slot and lug arrangement or other means may be used centrally of the holder element and blade for the purpose of locating the blade and preventing rotation thereof on the holder element.

The upper holder element i6 includes an aperture 22 through which the stud projects and a groove 23 tting over the longitudinal rib of the lower holder element, whereby the two elements can be moved in close relationship against the thin wafer-like blade interposed therebetween.

Lugs 24 at the corners of the holder element cooperating with notches 25 in the corners of the blade further assist in locating the blade in position. The advantages of the guiding and locating means, that is, the slots and notched corners in the blade and the cooperating lug and slots on the holder elements, need not be described in detail in this application since they form no part of the present invention, the structure shown being selected solely for the purpose of showing a modern environmentfor the improvement.

Referring to Figures l and 2, it will be observed that the holder elements are formed so as to provide for'exposure of only one edge of the double edged blade at one time. holder elements extend from the central longitudinal rib 20 a greater distance at one side than the distance from the center of the blade to the edges thereof. Because of this the blade rests, as shown in Figure 2, with one of its sharpened edges lying within the edge margin of the lower element l5.

lThe upper element, i5 includes a marginal flange 26 projecting downwardly a suiiicient distance for engaging along the edge margin of the lower element as shown at 21 in Figure 1. This flange 25. stops short so as to clear the lugs 24 at each end of the lower element I5.

The upper clamping element I6 is longitudinally recessed as at 28, whereby a substantial margin'of-the blade at the side not being used is not engaged. Moreover, from the central slot of the blade toward the edge not in use at the time, the blade is in fiat condition so that it will be For this purpose the observed as entirely unused until the blade is rotated to place this edge in use. vThis is true because no exing of the metal occurs and the edge is fully protected against contact or use of any sort. the holder parts (see Figure 1). It is aptly described as contained or enclosed within a recess formed by the upper and lower elements.

On the opposite side of the central line the holder elements are curved for the purpose of iexing the blade while in use, that is to say, the lower holder element has a curved upper surface and the upper element has a curved lower surface, which surfaces are formed on radii taken from the same center. The lower holder element is of less width than the blade from the central lines of these parts, so that the blade projects slightly beyond the edge of the lower holder element as at 29.

The upper holder element has a serrated guard edge 3d lying above the blade edge. This serrated guardingedge is formed so as to slightly clear the blade well back from its shapened edge as at 3i, whereby the blade is free to flex somewhat as the cutting edge is used. The serrated guard edge is a conventional structure and its advantages need not be described.

Accordingly, it will be noted that only one edge of the double edged blade is exposed for use, the other edge being protected by enclosure within the holder elements.

Referring to the blade, it will be seen that it includes a weakened portion 32 disposed toward each corner. It may be said that lines connecting the centers of the weakened portions would form a rectangle. These weakened portions can be formed in a multitude of ways. As one selected mode of forming the same, the metal may be punched out to provide an almost complete circular slot 33 leaving a slight connecting portion 3d forming the central tangs 35 formed by the metal within the circular slots. These slots can be formed in any design desired. For example, for identifying the origin of the blade, as shown in Figure 9, they can be cut to form the letter G as indicated at 36.

As shown in Figure 3, the upper holder element includes a pin or stud 31 projecting from its undersurface adjacent one corner thereof. A recess 38 is formed in the lower holder element opposite to and complementary to the stud 3l so that the stud will register therewith when the holder elements are placed together.

In reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the stud and recess are adjacent one of the four weakened portions of the blade when the blade is placed within the holder. Therefore, as the clamping or holding elements are forced together by the screw-threaded handle element i8 with the blade in position as shown in Figure 2, the stud will engage the tang 35 forcing it into the recess and snapping it off as the parts are clamped together. formed lends itself admirably for this purpose since it will snap readily when flexed a certain amount.

The operation of breaking off the tang can be fully appreciated by reference to Figures 6 to 8 inclusive. The recess 38 can, if desired, be in the form of a passageway as shown at 39 in Figure l0, whereby the punched out tang portion will drop out of the razor. The tangs are relatively small and are conveniently displaced from the holder upon each shaving operation.

From the foregoing description, it will be. ob-

Moreover, it is free of contact with any of The steel of which the blades are served that the effect of clamping the clamping elements upon the blade for the rst time, that is, with a new blade, is to punch out one of the weakened portions. 'I'he next time the blade is picked up for use theshaver will at once know in which position he has used the blade, for if he puts it back in the same positionl it will be observed that punching has already occurred. He therefore, if that edgeis dull, either turns the blade end for end or reverses its faces. This brings another tang adjacent the punching elements and he knows without question that he is using a new edge.

In the treatment of the problem it is to be observed that the blade is considered as having four shaving edges, i. e., two for each sharpened edge. This is truefor the reason that reversing the faces of the blade causes exing of the side of the blade adjacent the cutting edge in the opposite direction. This permits use of the same edge from an opposite side with the result that an eiiicient shave is procured from the same sharpened edge of the blade. i

By this means the user of the razor is able to use it in four positions, the blade being automatically marked each time it is used, that is, the used position is fully'identiiied, and he is able to shift the blade so as to use a new edge each tine if he desires. Thus the manufacturer of the blade is able to guarantee at least four perfect shaves with each blade. Moreover, he is able to identify his blade if he wishes to employ trade identification by forming the slots which make up the tangs in the form of letters or any other trade insignia.

It can, of course be appreciated that this invention willhave application to a safety razor and blade wherein both edges of the blade edge are exposed-at the same time since the identification means can be used to a lesser extent, that is, by the use of only two tangs or weakened portions ofthe blade for indicating whether or not theblade has had its faces reversed so that it can bedefinitely flexed in the opposite direction at ,the time of the second shave.

The present embodiment of the invention is readily appliedto razor blades of the wafer type which are formed of a fairly hard steel such as are in current use today. The metal of these blades is brittle enough to lenditself admirably for the use intended, that is, the tang portions will snap off 'readily when flexed a certain amount. It will of coursebe appreciated that the present application is intended to cover all equivalent structures'and other marking devices may be employed.

The present conception is that of means incorporated in a safety razor for marking the blade, whereby each used blade position is automatically marked for identification.A 'I'he invention results in one sense Igroin the determination that a marking means or device properly located in the holder elements will act tn mark the vblade a different point for each position of the blade. In a further sense it has been determined that -a double edge blade can be placed in a plurality of` different cutting positions for varying the exposure or direction of the edge, and by means of the present identication device the user will be able to know in which positions he has used the blade and therefore which edges-have been used.

The device in the holders vmay be of a design capable of marking the blade without special cooperating structure on the blade. However, it is considered more desirable to form the blade for cooperation in theact of marking and for this reason a blade has been conceived-and is disclosed herein in one embodiment which is formed for ready marking.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Ina razor, a pair of clamping elements, means for forcing said elements together, a wafer-like blade of rectangular outline adapted to be interposed between said clamping elements, the opposite edges thereof sharpened, said holder enclosing one edge in position of use and iiexing the blade along the opposite edge so as to diS- pose the edge in the `direction of use, said blade and clamping elements incorporating cooperating devices for marking the blade in each position of use, that is. with one or the other face down with one edge exposed, or one or the other face down with the otherv edge exposed.

2. A blade for a safety razor, said blade having punched out portions at each corner forming tangs, said punched out portions forming designationsito identify the blade as the article of a given manufacturer.

3. In a safety razor, a pairvof clamping elements, a blade disposed between said elements, means for clamping the elements on the blade,

said elements including a stud and aperture re spectively, said stud disposed toward one corner of the particular clamping element of which it is a part and adapted to register with the aperture in the other clamping element, and said blade having punched-out portions at each corner providing tangs, said tangs adapted to be broken oif to permit passage of said stud therethrough at a different point for each position of the blade between the clamping elements.

- 4. In a safety razor, a pair of clamping elements, means for securing said clamping elements together, said clamping elements includcessive positions inthe clamping elements.

5. In a. safety razor, a pair of clamping elements, means for forcing said elements together, a Wafer-like blade of rectangular outline adapted to be interposed between said clamping elements and having its opposite edges sharpened, said clamping elements incorporating a punching device located toward one end of the assembled clamping elements for marking the blade in its respective positions of use, said blade incorporating a plurality of weakened removable portions thereon, said weakened portions engagedI one at a time by said punching device for breaking the same and identifying the respective positions in which the blade has been placed between the clamping elements. c 1

GORDON C. AREY. 

